


Occultus Orbis

by crushing83



Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death Fix, Crossover Pairings, Deathly Hallows Fix, Gen, I'm super out of practice but I had this idea and had to try it out, M/M, Maybe OOC, Other characters as they're introduced, Other pairings as they come up, Vampires, Wereanimals, Witches, Wizards, mistakes in my French, mixing mythologies, nothing past The Harlequin, possibility of higher ratings, possibility of kink, some leeway with timelines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-01-26 13:09:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1689410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crushing83/pseuds/crushing83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between wars, Severus Snape was approached by a secret society comprised of different magical species. This may give him support he never expected to have during the second war---and it may also be a way out of an unfortunate end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. December 1981 - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus receives an invitation and goes to his first meeting.

**_December 1981 - Part One_ **

Lurking in the shadows, he had doubts about accepting the invitation to a secret meeting. He had only just left the role of double agent and he knew his life was still too dangerous, still too uncertain. The invitation he'd received a couple of months ago could be a trap. But, there was something about the mystery of it that piqued his interest. 

_Monsieur Snape,_

_S’il vous plaît, nous joindre pour un réunion des individuels qui sont unifiés contre les mals de monde. Vous verrez notre symbole inscrit sur la maison à Hogsmeade._

_A la veille de Noël, la coup de minuit, on rassemblera._

_Amitiés,  
La société de l’occultus orbis_

Old habits had him burning the letter as soon as he had read it. The words had cycled through his mind over and over---except when he was in the presence of the Headmaster, who had an irritating knack for exposing his secret thoughts---and he found himself wandering into Hogsmeade in the dead of night when no one else was out, searching for the symbol that had not been described. 

Eventually, he found it. 

He had been drinking at the Hog’s Head---brooding and hiding, although he'd deny it if ever asked---while the older students of the school visited Madam Puddifoot’s, the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, Zonko’s, and the grounds surrounding the Shrieking Shack. When he ingested enough firewhisky to make the ache in his chest dull, he bundled back up and left the pub to return to High Street. 

Before he reached the Three Broomsticks but after he passed the post office, he saw a few residential buildings. One was decrepit, its shutters threatening to fall off its exterior. He wondered why the wizard or witch who owned it did not repair them with a wave of a wand. The second house looked normal enough, except for the trio of Crups in the front lawn. 

It was the third house that caught his attention. The door's knocker was a larger replica of a charm he'd seen as a child; it drew his focus, firstly, because it seemed completely ineffectual, and then secondly, because the design seemed familiar. 

His mother occasionally wore a piece of jewelry with that symbol hanging from the chain. It was composed of a small sphere, with two rings around it. He had asked her about it when he was very young, before the problems between his parents worsened and no one in their house in Spinner’s End discussed anything. All she had told him was that it was an old family heirloom. Her grandmother had given it to her; it had belonged to one of their ancestors, someone who did not survive the witch burnings. 

After discovering the sign on the house, he went back to his chambers and found the necklace in the box of the few things he treasured from his childhood. Since then, he'd been carrying it in his pocket or wearing it around his neck hidden under his robes. 

And in quiet moments between classes and detentions and duties, he often touched this fingers to it and wondered about why his mother would have it. Had she been a member of that secret society? Or had his ancestor, whoever she was, been a member of the group? Or was it the wrong sign? Was he entirely mistaken? 

By Christmas Eve night, he knew he was not mistaken. Something was happening in that house. 

Thoughts of the recent past tucked away, he was still in the shadows, behind the Three Broomsticks. He watched as a handful of people slipped down the High Street and into the house, one at a time and only every few minutes. It was dark; no windows were illuminated by candles or lamps as far as he could tell. Yet, cloaked figures continued into the house. 

He wasn’t sure if he should go into the home and grant entrance into the secret group. A part of his mind still worried that it could be a trap. 

But, then, he saw a centaur slink out of the darkness and into the house---rather awkwardly, considering the three stairs and his four equine legs---and curiosity overtook him. 

_What sort of group was this?_ he asked himself. 

A hooded figure dropped down out of the sky as he tried to decide if he was going to follow the creature from the Forbidden Forest. Its cloak was heavy but it billowed gracefully around its ankles and over the snow as the newcomer landed in the alley. 

He gasped quietly and the new arrival heard him. 

A pair of pale blue eyes caught the light of the moon and flashed in his direction. There wasn't much else that he could see. 

" _N’avez pas peur, mon ami,_ " the stranger said in a quiet whisper that seemed to come from directly next to his ear. "I invited you. Your line--- _la ligne de Dauphin_ \---was once an important part of this society."

" _Dauphin?_ " Severus echoed. "As in 'Prince?' Who are you?" 

The figure approached him _very_ quickly, too quickly for the small gap between them. For an instant, he was nothing but a blur in the professor’s vision. And then, he appeared to be a handsome man---from what Severus could tell from the glimpses through the shadows---but he was much more. 

A vampire who was in league with a centaur, oddly enough. 

" _Oui. Dauphin._ " 

When he replied, there was sadness in the vampire’s voice. He shook most of it off, though, and quickly moved on to insist that Severus join the group. 

"How... why did you invite me? Why should I go in there?"

"Your war has ended---for now," the vampire said in English, each word laced with a heavy Parisian accent. "And there are other situations, other dangers, as well. Do you know how many times the world has nearly been destroyed?" 

"No. You... I... I thought... vampires... are demons, and---" 

The vampire chuckled. Golden hair slipped out of his hood and contrasted against the black velvet. "We do not all like to end existence as we know it," he purred. "This world... there are people, with blood and flesh. Delicacies, riches... there are many things to savour. If we end the world, what will be next? I do not fancy _l’enfer_ , do you?" 

His education had been incomplete, he thought, as he looked at the vampire. Why did wizards think all vampires wanted to destroy the world? He was taught to fear such creatures; Lord Voldemort preyed on that fear, seduced demons to his cause, but even he was careful to keep the most dangerous away from his Death Eaters. They had separate meetings, separate missions. He had assumed that was because as powerful as the Dark Lord had been, even he was wary of the demons’ effect on wizards. Perhaps, he had been wrong. 

"I am already in Hell," he muttered as his hand twitched around his wand, both hidden by his long, black robes. 

The vampire’s body leaned towards him, but not in a particularly threatening manner. 

"Then, let us cool the temperatures, _d'accord_?" he suggested gently. 

The wizard nodded. He followed the vampire into the home. The vampire led him down a pitch-black hallway and through a warded door into a well-lit room. Severus saw several different people (different species) staring back at him. 

The centaur was in the middle of a group of people. After a few minutes of studying, Severus guessed two were vampires and the remaining three were lycanthropes of various strains. There was a witch and a wizard. Members of different races, different walks of life. And they were all together. 

" _Mesdames et messieurs,_ " the vampire said, " _je vous presente la ligne de Dauphin._ "

The centaur nodded. "Is he prepared to join our ranks?"

The young professor swallowed his fears. No one had attacked him. No one had threatened him. And the vampire... all of them seemed to know about his mother’s family. Maybe there was more to that pendant than she had told him. 

He cursed himself for his curiosity, and then he nodded, all the while wondering if he was always destined to be a double agent.


	2. December 1981 - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the meeting, Severus reflects on everything and spends some time with the Headmaster.

**_December 1981 - Part Two_**

The majority of the students had not yet returned to the castle. The halls were blissfully peaceful since the few remaining students were more concerned with snowball fights and tobogganing than roaming the halls and causing trouble for the professors who lingered.

Severus had survived the holiday---but barely. The headmaster had insisted he needed some 'Christmas cheer' and refused to allow the Potions professor to sulk in his chambers. So, Severus had been forced to endure a five-course feast with the rest of the faculty and those few children who had stayed in the castle for the vacation. Hagrid had had too much to drink, McGonagall and Hooch gossiped with Sprout, and Flitwick and Dumbledore insisted upon trying to improve Severus' dour mood. 

When he was handed his cracker's contents---a set of wizarding chess pieces and a bonnet---he was told to wear his hat and have some Christmas cake.

That was when Severus took his leave of them. 

His chambers were not cool like the rest of the dungeons. He kept them well-warmed---he detested the cold. His father had always refused to burn more coal and wood than was absolutely necessary and he had never cared if his wife and child were cold. Cheap alcohol had always kept him warm while leaving his family to shiver in cold and fear. Because of his emotional (though he _never_ used that word) associations with icier temperatures, he usually kept warming charms on his robes and the fires burning in his rooms. 

Two days later and in the safety of his private sitting room, after hours of grading poorly-written assignments, he allowed himself to relax and mull over the past few days. He hadn't thought about the secret meeting since its conclusion; he forced himself to push it from his mind because he did not want the Headmaster to catch errant thoughts. He was an able Occlumens but he did not want to try his luck over something that he sensed was very serious. 

He wasn't certain what he believed---yet. He supposed he would come to some sort of conclusion before the next meeting, but at that moment he wasn't sure what that would be. 

Much to his dismay, much of the group's discussion pertained to the events of October. At first, it was a fairly cheery conversation, but then, the centaur had announced that Mars would grow bright again. This warning made some of the group a bit nervous about the possibility of another war. Severus knew there was a very good chance the Dark Lord would return---Dumbledore believed some signs were already in place, but he had not shared what those signs were. When the professor shared this with the group, the other wizard asked if he could find that information. Reluctantly, Severus agreed he would try. 

Most of the group's members did not understand Severus' hesitation. They did not know about the fear, the uncertainty, and the danger involved in being a Death Eater _and_ an informant to the Order of the Phoenix. 

Severus resisted the urge to sneer at them. 

In truth, he was relieved. And he knew there was a very good chance he would be pressed into serving those specific two masters again. But he didn't mind the uncertainty much because it was much less stressful than his previous activities. 

If the others didn't grasp that, he did not care to enlighten them. 

He sensed that the vampire---Asher---seemed to understand something of his situation, though. He'd never felt so exposed as he did when Asher's pale blue eyes were upon him. He had never heard many details about the powers his kind possessed and he doubted an increase in observational instincts was one of them. He suspected it was centuries of studying the behaviours of others.

And then, there was also something exposed in him, as well. Severus sensed he understood what it meant to be a double agent from personal experience; something hard in the vampire's eyes was familiar to the wizard. 

After it was agreed upon that Severus would do his best to learn what Albus Dumbledore took to be signs that the Dark Lord would return, the meeting dissolved into personal conversations. 

Severus had used that time to try to talk with Asher about the connection he seemed to have to his family. 

He didn't understand why he would be connected to a French line---but 'Dauphin' was 'Prince,' and his mother did have that artefact at one point in her life. His mother rarely wore it and never alluded to a secret society. He couldn't believe she had been tied to such a group of powerful beings; she had never called anyone for help with their situation and he couldn't imagine she wouldn't call upon the group if she had been a part of it. She had done everything in her power to protect him and calling a group of vampires and lycanthropes had not been one of those things. 

Try as he might, though, the vampire would not give Severus any information. He said it was not time to discuss such things. 

The wizard wondered when it would be time for discussion. He did not like operating on someone else's schedule much, even though he had done so for most of his time as an adult. 

A knock at the door to his chambers shook him from his thoughts. He knew it would be Dumbledore; the Headmaster frequently visited him. Sometimes it was to check on him, but other times it was to try to extract information from him. Severus suspected it would be the latter. 

He went to open the door and saw the white-haired man before him, wearing his robes, glasses, and a smile. In his hands, there was a sealed scroll. 

"Severus?" 

The Potions Master stepped aside. "What can I do for you, Headmaster?" 

"You've received mail," he replied. "I thought I would stop in for a visit and deliver this at the same time." 

"I could make tea, if you---"

The Headmaster raised one hand and gently cut him off by saying: "I have already asked the house elves to prepare a light tray and it should be ready momentarily. I thought cider would be more festive." 

"The holiday has passed." 

Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. "The day, yes, but not the season." 

Severus bit back a sigh. The older man seemed to celebrate every day as if it were some sort of festival. In times like that evening, he found it difficult to believe that he was the wizard who defeated Grindelwald and who the Dark Lord had feared the most. 

Still, the black-haired man stepped aside and granted the eccentric wizard access to his private domain. 

When Severus closed the door and followed him into the sitting area, near the hearth, he discovered the tray of food and drink was already on the low table between comfortable chairs. 

Dumbledore sighed happily as he sank down into one of the cushioned pieces of furniture. "You do know how to spoil me, Severus," he whispered, his eyes closed and lips curved. 

"They're just chairs." 

The older man chuckled and looked at him. "Do not glare so much," he insisted. "I won't tell a soul that you enjoy creature comforts like the rest of us. Merlin forbid the others realise you're actually human." 

"Instead of bat, like my students suggest?" Severus muttered. 

"If you wore anything other than your blackest robes---"

"Did you stop by to give me fashion advice, Headmaster?" 

He chuckled again. "No, I did not." He handed the scroll to Severus. "This arrived by leopard this morning. Hagrid was quite surprised to see the animal. He said it was larger than the normal variety." 

The comment was pointed; Severus chose not to give Dumbledore any additional information. He guessed it was a wereleopard---something extremely rare in that area of the country. He heard there were many in France. Lucius Malfoy said he went hunting for wereleopards once; Macnair had invited him to participate in the event. Severus didn't really see what was so fun about hunting a creature that was human more than it was animal, but he chose not to comment on the matter when they were discussing it at the Manor. 

Knowing who delivered the letter let him know who could have sent the note---either Asher or the secret society. 

He didn't want to read the letter in Dumbledore's company. 

"Are you familiar with our furrier friends, Severus?" the Headmaster inquired. "I was under the impression that you did not prefer their company." 

"I liked Lupin fine until I was sent to be his evening snack!" Severus snapped. 

At the older man's arched eyebrow, he forced himself to swallow his school-boy rage. Remus Lupin was out of his life; he did not need to dwell upon the past. 

Dumbledore nodded when he was calmer; then, the older wizard started pouring cider into teacups and putting cookies onto saucers. Severus watched his actions, part of the rituals of tea service, and he relaxed as if he had been the one performing the gestures. 

Before he picked up his cup of cider, he looked at his guest. "You have not put anything in this, have you?"

"No essence of cheer," Dumbledore said in a wry tone of voice, "although I suspect you could do with some cheering. Perhaps Filius could perform a cheering charm---"

"I think not." 

"Alas," Dumbledore said with a sigh. He sipped his cider for a minute, then, he looked over to the scroll. "What do you suspect is in the letter?"

"I do not know. I have not been expecting mail." 

"Will you open it soon?"

"Perhaps." 

"Are you keeping secrets from me, Severus?"

The Potions Master sighed. Of course he was keeping secrets! He was even keeping secrets from himself! All he knew was to keep secrets, to compartmentalise, and to deflect. His survival instincts were so finely tuned, still so many days after the war, and he didn't think he would ever learn to not use them. 

"I have done my duty and should the need arise, I will continue to do it," Severus told him. "However, there are some matters that are my own and have nothing to do with my role in your chess match." 

"Do not sound bitter, Severus. You offered your services to me to make amends for your wrongdoings." 

He sighed again. "I know. And I am glad I could do such a thing, even at great personal risk, but this---" he paused and held up the scroll "---is not linked to you or to the Dark Lord."

"How do you know?" 

"I do." 

He glanced at the seal and saw the society's symbol; it looked differently than it did when it was a three-dimensional object. Severus supposed it was difficult to translate into a flattened image. 

There was a small 'A' in the center of the symbol, in the middle of the representation of the sphere. Asher had sent the letter, then. The wizard felt an eagerness he hadn't anticipated as he broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. 

While Dumbledore waited, Severus excitedly skimmed the letter. He finished reading it; then, he went back and read it again. Asher had been sent back to France, to his mistress, and that was why he was using a wereleopard to send the letter. Her animals to call were large cats. Severus wasn't sure what that meant, but he absorbed it and committed it to memory anyway. The vampire hoped he was processing everything and he offered to discuss the group with him if Severus had any questions. He had permission to land in Hogsmeade, through the leader of the local vampire kiss, Asher continued, and he would be glad to meet him privately if the need arose. He suspected Severus had many questions that hadn't been answered in the meeting---how did it start, why so many different groups, and so on. Severus did have questions; he was glad Asher would answer at least some of them. There was nothing in the text about more group meetings but he did suggest sending an answer back by owl and if the owl could wait until he rose and finished a reply, he would respond as quickly as he could. 

He forced himself to school his features into a calm expression, betraying the excitement he felt. He desperately wanted to know how his mother fit into Occultus Orbis, but he could not draft a reply until Dumbledore left for evening. He decided to wait until morning to send it, so that way the owl could hopefully arrive by sunset when Asher would be awake; despite that decision being made, his mind was still attempting to draft a response to the vampire's letter. 

"Good news, Severus?" 

The Potions Master looked into the eyes of his employer. "It is... a familial matter." 

"Ah. Distant relatives?"

"Someone who knew relatives on my mother's side," Severus admitted cryptically. "I have been conducting research into my ancestry." 

"Genealogy is a fascinating subject," Dumbledore commented. "It is something so few of us examine, even though we all have histories." 

"Quite, Headmaster," Severus mumbled as he reread the letter again, before rolling it and setting it into his lap. He occluded his thoughts carefully and only when he was certain the contents of the letter was well hidden did he look back into Dumbledore's face. "Are there any tomes in the school's library that may help with this... endeavour?"

"I'm sure you will find several. They are placed just before the entrance to the Restricted Section," the Headmaster replied with a small smile. "Madame Pince felt that students would have a harder time feigning interest in those books as an excuse to be near the forbidden books."

Severus smirked despite his uneasiness at being alone with Dumbledore when he had so many questions to commit to paper about something the older wizard knew nothing about. Madame Pince was not his favourite member of the faculty but she did do her job very well---most of the time---and he could only imagine students' pretending to be interested in their ancestry. It was not a subject for young trouble makers. 

"I may have a few books in my collection, as well, that could be of assistance to you," Dumbledore continued. He paused and smiled more. "I am glad you are pursuing a hobby outside of potions. It is healthy for you to pursue other avenues of entertainment." 

Severus snorted.

"I do wish you the best of luck in that area," the Headmaster said after a sip of cider. "The war is over and you deserve some time to yourself." He hesitated before continuing to speak. "Should you wish for time to visit your relatives' acquaintance, you only need to ask. I will arrange for your classes to be covered at a moment's notice." 

"Thank you, Headmaster." 

"Would you like to play chess, Severus? Perhaps you would like to break in your new chess pieces?"

Severus smiled a bit. The old man meddled and schemed, but sometimes, it was nice to have a companion. Even if he did want to attend to other matters first. 

He accepted the offer and the pair ended up playing wizarding chess for three hours while night thickened around the castle.


	3. September 1989

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asher comes to spend an evening at Hogwarts in Severus' company.

**September 1989**

Asher emerged from behind a mirror on the fourth floor of the unplottable castle. After shaking his cloak and hood back into place, he stepped out of the shadows and took in Severus' appearance as he hovered nearby the passage's opening. "You look unravelled, _mon ami_ ," he murmured with a small smile in his voice. 

Severus pursed his lips and glared at Asher. 

Stressed did not begin to cover it. William, Charles, and Percy were nowhere near the troublemakers Fred and George were already turning out to be! Two exploded cauldrons---because they chose to deviate from instructions on their first day---and several injured bystanders weren't enough to quell the twins' curiosities. They continued to explore the castle after hours; they chased Mrs. Norris into a cabinet with particularly sticky fastenings; they released dung bombs in the library. 

Only _three_ weeks into the new school year (eight years after his first meeting with the blond vampire and the secret society) and Severus was already pining for an escape. 

"Allow me to disillusion and escort you to my chambers before we discuss my 'unravelling,'" Severus suggested.

Asher nodded and Severus wordlessly performed the spell. 

They walked, side by side, from the fourth floor to the dungeons. Their private meetings were always held late at night; Asher would be able to move past the castle's wards because he meant no harm to anyone inside its walls and the teachers were allowed to have the occasional guest, but Severus did not want to share their meetings with anyone else. He did not want to share Occultus Orbis with anyone else, either. 

Severus could admit to himself that the vampire was an outlet he never expected to have. They talked, but sometimes they did not talk and chose simply to read or walk the grounds in silence. Severus never offered to feed the vampire; he was never asked to be a meal. The camaraderie between them was never discussed but the black-haired wizard sometimes thought it was strange that two such isolated people could be at ease with each other. 

Meetings occurred only two times a year, apart from Occultus Orbis meetings, because it was too risky for Asher to be away from his mistress, Belle-Morte. Severus learned that she had little to no use for him---for reasons passing the wizard's understanding---but when he was gone for too long she grew angry. She seemed very unpredictable and irrational; Severus knew from experience that it was a dangerous combination of personality traits. 

Topics of conversation varied but they never delved into their personal histories too much. Asher asked about the Dark Lord and his rise to power but he never asked about Severus' specific activities before and after becoming a spy. He asked about the teaching curriculum but he never asked about Severus' own experiences as a student. Severus asked about vampiric powers but he never asked about Asher's specific powers or experiences with other vampires. He asked about the Dauphin descendants of which Asher was aware but he never asked for more when Asher gave him vague answers. They tiptoed carefully around each other and usually that sort of dance bothered the wizard; however, he was relieved that he had someone in his life that did not push for more than he was willing to offer as so many others did. 

After talking until an hour before sunset, Severus would give Asher use of his bedroom---there were no windows, and therefore, it was suitable for resting when the sun rose. The wizard would nap on the sofa before class or before some other commitment and the two would reconnect in the evening for a few hours before Asher went back to the secret passageway and slipped away from the school. 

A noise caught Severus' attention and shook him from his thoughts. He paused. Still disillusioned, Asher stopped next to him. He focused his hearing as best as he could, but the noise wasn't repeated. He took one step and heard something else---young, male laughter of the Weasley variety. 

"Bloody Gryffindors," Severus muttered under his breath as he pinched his nose and silently prayed for restraint. 

"Hrm?" Asher wordlessly inquired. 

"One moment," Severus said. He beckoned and Asher followed as he started off again, down the corridor until they reached a tapestry. Severus inhaled slowly and then he whisked the heavy drape away while illuminating the tip of his wand with a wordless 'Lumos' and he was rewarded with the sight of the two Weasley twins, bent low over a steaming cauldron. 

Both twins' jaws dropped as they realised they were caught. 

"Out of bed at midnight?" Severus inquired. "Your potions homework too exciting to leave until tomorrow?"

Fred's brow furrowed. "I... uh, we don't have potions homework for tomorrow, Professor." 

He sneered. "Exactly. What do you two think you're doing?" 

"Experimenting, sir," George replied. 

"With what?"

George sucked in a sharp breath. He started their explanation, seemingly undaunted by the professor's looming form. 

"Well, you see, sir, we noticed that the dung bomb---"

"---while plenty foul---"

"---doesn't meet all of our mischief making needs." 

Fred grinned and said: "So, we're looking into---"

"---a better mixture of stink and smoke---"

"---preferably less stink and more smoke---"

"---but if it turns Mrs. Norris' fur pink, that'd be okay, too," George finished. 

Both boys turned their attention back to the cauldron as if Severus was not standing there, glaring at them both. 

"Mister Weasley and Mister Weasley---"

"We'll go back to bed as soon as this trial's done, yeah?" 

Severus felt Asher stiffen next to him. Even the vampire seemed to know that the twins had crossed a line. Still, the young boys were bent over their work, appreciating the noises their mixture was making. He was furious with them for the blatant disrespect they were showing him, but he was also concerned. He hadn't been able to express to them earlier that week that experimenting was dangerous if one did not know the reactions and properties of ingredients; they had laughed when they saw the blue boils rise on Lee Jordan's arms and face and then again when some of the first year Slytherins _encountered_ the same affliction. They didn't understand how dangerous potions could be if they weren't careful and even though he did appreciate their enthusiasm, he knew he had to convince them that safety was just as important as the brew itself. 

The Potions Master thought about counting to ten and trying to calm himself down but he thought better of it and channelled his concern into the reaction he'd trained his students to expect from him. 

"You will both have detentions with me for a month!" Severus snapped, shaking the twins from their amazement. "Since you are so determined to learn how to brew your own creations, you will be in my class _every_ evening at seven-thirty---including weekends! 

"I will find plenty for you to do," he continued, "and when all of my tasks have been completed, I will consider passing you off to Mister Filch!" 

That promise got their attention.

He knew everyone thought he was evil---first because he had been associated with Death Eaters and then because he yelled and threw out detentions and graded severely. He cultivated that image because he had been a young professor and because few students took him seriously in the beginning. McGonagall had suggested to him to apply a firm hand, but he took it a few steps further. It worked for him. He didn't mind being the greasy bat of the dungeons as long as his students learned _something_ by the end of the year. 

However, Argus _was_ evil. He resented the students and their magical abilities. He longed to use corporal punishment on the students that was more akin to sadistic torture than anything else. If Dumbledore hadn't charmed the implements in the caretaker's office to do no harm, Severus would have worried that Argus was occasionally putting those chains and other devices to use.

"So, uh," George ventured into the silence, "we'll just clean up here and go on up to bed, then." 

"Good thinking, Mister Weasley," Severus drawled. "If this space is not cleaned and vacated---and if your potion is not _properly_ disposed of in twenty minutes---I will make it a full week with Mister Filch after I am finished with you!" 

Asher quietly smothered a snort.

"I will be sending the Bloody Baron to this very spot in twenty minutes," he told them, taking delight in the way their faces paled. "He will report back to me. I suggest you be gone by then." 

"Yes, Professor," Fred said with a quick nod. 

Severus felt satisfied so he swept from the opening and let the tapestry fall. Asher followed him, nearly silently. 

Once they were in Severus' heavily warded quarters, he undid the spell upon the vampire and welcomed him to the fireplace and comfortable chairs. Asher smiled and sat down.

"And who is this bloody baron?" 

Severus smirked. "He is the Slytherin ghost."

"You will not send for him?"

"The threat is enough," Severus said as he poured himself a glass of firewhisky. He joined Asher and made himself at home in his favourite chair closest to the hearth. "Those twins will surely be the death of me. That whole family! And I hear there are more on the way!" 

"How many _en totale_?" 

"William, Charles, Percival, Fred, George, Ronald... and I heard they've finally had a girl, as well." Severus sighed. "One has already finished school... but those twins..." he trailed off and sipped his drink. 

" _Il y en a sept_?"

"Yes," Severus replied. 

Asher smiled. "It is supposed to be a glorious thing to have such a large family... to have all the children survive."

"They're all such bloody Gryffindors," Severus grouched, "trampling on my nerves with their foolish antics masked as bravery---" 

"From what you've told me about the house characteristics and your experiences... I do not think that means they are braver than you, simply bolder," Asher said in a carefully measured voice. He tilted his head and his curtain of golden blond hair covered more than half of his face. "I also noticed that your punishment is not much of a punishment." 

"They need to learn. It is not a joke. Blue boils are one thing---they can be removed. Explosions and corrosive concoctions can cause serious damage. They have no idea what can happen," Severus explained. "I have ingredients that need preparation and cauldrons and flasks to clean. They can assist me and learn what happens when things go wrong in carefully measured doses." 

Asher snorted. "What will you do to them?" 

"Nothing damaging... nothing that can't be undone. It will require planning... but I believe I will get my message across." Severus set his glass upon the low table between the comfortable chairs. "How have you been doing?" 

"It depends on the day," Asher admitted. 

"Why?"

"I have become nothing but a device for my mistress' punishment," he confessed. "I stay because she is well-connected to the Council and it is important for our group to know what they are plotting. However, it has become a role of which I am growing tired." 

"Why?" Severus repeated. "Why does she treat you that way?"

"Because I am grotesque," Asher hissed. The vampire slumped in his chair after kicking his heel into the rug-covered floor. "Because I am nothing but her tool of torture for her victims." 

"You never let me see all of you, you wear so many hoods and masks," Severus said quietly as he studied the vampire in front of him. "But, from what I can tell---"

He stopped talking as Asher snarled and flipped his head. His hair fell away from the right side of his face and exposed a melted ruin of the rest of his face. It looked as if the vampire had been _badly_ burned. Severus quickly realised why Asher always seemed to understand physical pain better than his colleagues; they had both suffered in unmentionable ways and while Severus' scars were more internal than external, the wizard wondered if Asher's scars were the same. 

"How did that happen?" the Potions Master said in a calmly quiet voice that he had perfected through his time as a spy. 

"I had a human servant once," Asher said, after shaking his hair back into place. "There was a time we were almost widely accepted... aristocrats fell at my mistress' feet, looking for even an ounce of the pleasure she could bestow upon someone, or that which we could. I became careless with my safety and with Juliana's. Religious zealots... took us. Before _mon cor_ \--- before anyone could save us, she was dead. Burned at the stake. I was tortured with their holy water," he confessed while keeping his gaze focused upon the floor. "They thought they could cleanse the demon from me." 

"It hurt."

Asher nodded. 

"It will not heal?"

"It has not yet and it has been a very long time since they have been made." 

Severus pressed his lips together. He caught himself wondering how Dittany would react to his skin... how some of his more powerful potions and salves would heal his flesh, or if they would at all. 

"Could I try---"

" _Non_ ," Asher interrupted. 

"But---"

"I appreciate you being able to keep the horror from your response. Very much so, _mon ami_. But, it has been too long since I have been whole," Asher told him. "And my mistress would not like to lose her latest device of torment." 

"How long can you hold up like that?" Severus asked. 

"As long as it is required of me." 

The wizard frowned. "And then?"

Asher shrugged. 

"But, I could try to heal you---"

"And if I returned, restored, she would not be pleased." 

Severus frowned more. "You can't let her control you like that." 

"She is my maker."

"You're your own person---"

"She sees me as her object." 

"You might not survive her captivity," Severus pointed out. 

"I have been full of rage and sadness for too long. It will either carry me through this, or it will not." 

He leaned forward, catching the vampire's attention. Looking into Asher's blue eyes, Severus said, "And what of our little group? If you are gone---"

"Oh, _ça suffit_!" Asher snapped. "What do you want from me? A tie to your family? If that is all---"

"You know our visits are about more than that," Severus mumbled, breaking eye contact with the vampire. "I spent most of my time alone, until I received your letter." 

"You are still alone." 

"But, not as much." 

Asher sighed unnecessarily and he rubbed his forehead. "I apologise," he said softly. "My scars are not something that I enjoy discussing." 

"I noticed." 

The blond managed a wry smile at the wizard's comment. He looked around the room and said, "Not much has changed since I've last been here."

"Nothing changes, and yet everything changes," Severus said with a casual wave of his hand. "Students are still idiots, but the faces change. The Headmaster still involves himself in my life, but his tactics change."

"You still teach potions." 

Severus nodded. "The Headmaster does not allow me the Defense Against the Dark Arts position I desire," he said glumly. "He says he has his reasons but I believe he does not trust me with the subject." He sighed. "I would not be so easily turned! I made my decision, and it was finally the right decision... but he does not see the value, I suppose, of my experiences." 

"You said the position is supposedly cursed." 

"How do you---"

"You told me two years ago," Asher said. "You said your former master once asked for it, and since he was denied, no one has held the position longer than one year at a time." 

Severus nodded again, but the gesture was jerky.

"Perhaps he does not want to lose you?"

"He believes..." 

"That this dark force will return?" Asher inquired. "The others in our circle believe it as well. I spoke with the Master of Hogsmeade before coming to see you. She said she received new kiss members, from groups in the Mediterranean. There have been murmurs of dark forces in that area."

After Asher explained himself, Severus snorted. "The Dark Lord is hiding in Greece, then?" he said, not trying to keep the amusement out of his voice. "We should tell the aurors to fetch him immediately." 

"Severus..." 

The wizard sighed. "It does not matter. He will be returning here to pick up where he left off." 

"Alessandra said he tried to recruit vampires and wereanimals to his cause once." 

Severus nodded. "He did. He also attracted the loyalty of the giants and dementors."

At the mention of the latter creature, Asher shivered. "I do not like them," he explained as he smoothed his hands over his coat. "They destroy every bit of warmth... every light... every hope for the future..." 

"That is their gift," Severus agreed as a scowl took hold of his facial features. He sighed and reached for his glass again. "I suggest we do not discuss such things." 

"What do you wish to discuss?" Asher asked. His lips twitched into a small smile. "Do you think those two boys have fled the scene of their crime yet?" 

Severus groaned. He did not think the Weasley twins were a much better subject to discuss.


	4. November 1991 - Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secret society meets again, once Harry Potter has arrived at Hogwarts. Severus receives a taste of Asher's power.

**_November 1991 - Part One_ **

Severus stormed past the castle's gates as best he could with that awful creature's bite still paining him. He looked around. The sun was setting and everyone was in the Great Hall, but that did not mean he shouldn't be careful. 

Satisfied that no one was around, he withdrew his wand from beneath his robes and he apparated with a 'pop,' disappearing from sight. 

He reappeared inside the house where their secret meetings were held. He looked around and saw that he was with a few other society members---Firenze, the centaur, Allessandra, the local master's _témoin_ , and Asher---who had also arrived early. Once he confirmed that he was reasonably safe, he let himself relax a bit. 

Asher somehow knew something was wrong. 

The vampire, still hiding half of his face with shadows, approached the wizard slowly. "What has happened?" he asked. "I saw you only months ago, and you seemed fine." He frowned. "Have those boys been causing more problems this year---" 

"They're nothing I can't handle," Severus mumbled. "Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Asher didn't know much about Severus' time at the wizards' school. He knew some of the reason he had changed sides and become a spy. He knew only what Severus told him, as far as the Potions Master knew. He knew the name meant something to the vampire, then, but the expression on Asher's face told him that the name didn't tell him everything. 

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his hooked nose. "Potter has come to Hogwarts, Quirrell went to Albania, of all places, for _holiday_ and has come back acting strange, and between the Headmaster's demands and _that child_ , I do not know how much longer I can keep from---"

"What has happened?" Asher inquired. 

"Harry Potter has returned to the wizarding world," said the owner of the house, a short man with wispy grey hair and wearing navy robes. "It is exciting news for those of us aligned against the dark." 

"And for me, who has to teach him---has to see him every single day?" Severus snapped. "He is a constant reminder of... of..." 

"Your dark side?" Asher inquired. 

Severus shook his head. "Of _her_." 

"Where the deepest pain lies, there is also the love of a woman," Asher mused in a sad voice. He put a hand on Severus' back. "Do you wish to return to the castle?" 

"I wish to be as far from that toe rag for as long as I possibly can!" 

Asher clucked his tongue. "He would not stir such feelings in you if you didn't care for him," he commented quietly. "Join me. We will sit and wait for the others." He looked to the owner of the house. "Parnell, do you know how much longer we will have to wait?" 

"The full moon was last night," the grey-haired wizard said. "The lycanthropes within our group will have to care for their groups first, before coming to us. I do not expect them to be long, though."

The Potions professor followed Asher as he went to the corner of the room where armchairs sat waiting for them. They were not as comfortable as the chairs in Severus' sitting room, but he did not complain; in fact, having his weight off of his injured leg felt rather pleasant. 

Asher made another soft clucking noise and then he picked up the foot of his bitten leg. 

"What are you---"

"You are bleeding. I can smell it."

Severus startled. He was used to Asher's company as long as he pretended to be _mostly_ human, but as he had troubles with werewolves he also had troubles with vampires. Not that Sirius Black ever tried to lock him up with a vampire, but the Dark Lord had often invited them to join their gatherings and he remembered all too well what it felt like to be caught in one's thrall. He did not wish to be caught or trapped again. 

"You do not let me be all I can be," Asher commented with a sad smile. "We should have no more pretense between us since we have known each other for nearly eleven years." 

Forcing himself to inhale evenly, he realised that Asher was right in saying that. But, that fact did not eradicate his fear. 

"I do not ask you to stop performing spells," Asher continued. "In fact, I allow you to cast them upon me so that we may move undetected before our visits." 

Severus sighed. "Yes," he conceded. 

"Have I forced anything upon you?"

"No, of course not." He looked into Asher's eyes and saw the man smirking. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, for Merlin's sake. I apologise." 

"Unnecessary and accepted," Asher said. "You should clean it before Liam arrives," he advised. "The lion does like the scent of wounded prey. Perhaps, he likes it too much." 

"Then why is he a member of---"

"Some are invited for specific reasons, for specific events," Parnell said from the other side of the room. "Some are invited because their ancestry has been a member of our ranks. It matters not which reason applies to him."

"Fine," Severus muttered. He sighed again. "Do you have bandages? I've tried magic but there must be something in that wretched dog's bite that keeps the wounds from healing." 

"A vampire's mouth is more useful than bandages," the older wizard said. "How do you think they keep their victims from bleeding to death between meals? A mediwizard's charm?" 

Allessandra grinned and snapped her jaws together. "I'll clean his wounds," she purred as she sashayed towards them. "It's been a while since I've had a wizard's blood." 

Severus glanced from her to Firenze, who was showing little interest in their conversation, and then from the centaur to Asher. "Not her," he said quietly. 

"You don't want me sucking on you?" the female vampire said with a pout, even though her violet eyes sparkled with sexuality. "I don't have his powers but I can still make it feel good," she said, miming certain activities with her hands. 

Severus pointedly avoided her eyes. He trusted Asher as much as he felt he could trust anyone but he did not trust the Hogsmeade master's _témoin_. He sensed some sort of history between her and Asher; he wasn't sure what it was but he did know that Asher kept her at a distance. 

Carefully looking away from the blonde, he looked to the man holding onto his booted foot. Asher was studying the surface of his boots, unsure of what to make of them.

"Dragon hide," Severus said quietly. "Decent protection against spilled potions and ingredients." 

"Decent?" Parnell snorted. "Try one of the best." 

"If its protective properties were not adequate for my needs, I wouldn't have used the word 'decent,'" Severus muttered. 

Parnell looked affronted by the tone he employed. Asher only chuckled in amusement and worked the laces with his pale, strong fingers. "I do not want to stain the boot," he said to the wizard. "I do not plan on being careless, but all the same..." 

"And I do not wish to have to explain to the Headmaster why I am still bleeding or appear to have spilled blood upon my person," Severus told him. "It is appreciated," he added quietly, "and even more so if you are able to seal the wounds." 

" _D'accord_ ," Asher said. His smile faded as he looked down at Severus' leg and exposed it by lifting his robes and pulling his trouser leg up to his knee. "Are you ready, _mon ami_?" 

Severus nodded. 

He guessed the hungry look in what he could see of Asher's face had nothing to do with sex---it was only blood, the promise of a meal. But, he allowed himself to pretend it was a bit more than simple hunger. It had been a long time since anyone touched him like _that_ , with gentle fingers circling and a long, slow lick of a wet tongue... even if that tongue was lapping up blood, it was still contact---it still counted. 

It counted to him, anyway. 

Asher grunted. His hair fell down so it hid his scars from view. It brushed Severus' leg in an unintentional caress. resisted the impulse to reach out and brush that long, curly hair back. Before his fingers could extend too far, he yanked his hand back as if it had been scalded and he cradled both hands against his stomach and the folds of his robes. 

He concentrated on the way Asher's tongue and lips slid over his pale skin, but that didn't help his mind against impulses he knew he shouldn't be entertaining. 

Stupidly, he forgot that there were others in the room. He knew he shouldn't have forgotten; he knew he should have remained aware of his surroundings. It was impossible, however, to think logically when Asher's tongue wiggled into one of the tooth-marks and lapped up the fresh blood there. There was just enough pain combined with the unexpected pleasure of affectionate contact and Severus had to keep reminding himself that they were only friends, that they were at a meeting, that he was only a meal... 

And then there was suction and he knew Asher was taking more than the surface blood that seeped from his injury. He didn't feel fangs but he felt the vampire sucking; his lips formed a tight seal against his leg. 

A moment into the suction, a deliciously warm sensation seemed to thread through every nerve in his body. 

Before he could open his mouth to ask what was happening, it all stopped. Asher lifted his mouth---his lips brighter---and he looked up at the wizard. 

"What was that... your power?" 

Asher nodded. "I apologise, _mon ami_ , I never meant to let it get that far. I do not often get to release it."

Severus snorted and decided he was as safe as he could be, so he brought a hand to his face and rubbed it over his eyes. "It felt... quite interesting," he said as diplomatically as he could. 

"Ever the careful spy," Allessandra said with a sneer. "It feels bloody marvelous!"

"Now, now, Allessandra," Parnell said as the door above them opened. "Not all of us enjoy it. And it might not be Severus' idea of fun." 

"If he even knows what fun is," Allessandra huffed. 

"I have fun," Severus protested in a grouchy voice. "I brew potions. I grade papers." He smirked, a shadow of a genuine smile that escaped because Asher's bite had loosened him somehow. "I do _love_ giving the students D's and T's." 

Parnell chuckled. "Evil man," he said, chuckling a bit. "I am glad I had Slughorn as a professor when you say things like that. Even if he never placed me too highly at the Ministry." 

Severus smirked again, but he didn't say anything. A door opened. Their other members had arrived. Within seconds, Firenze was moving closer to them, as he did nearly every time they had a meeting; he seemed to decide it was safer to stand by wizards and vampires than lycanthropes. 

As Liam and the others came into the room, Severus felt the same shiver of fear he felt for the first time in the Shrieking Shack and at then in that very room many years later. He figured he would always feel that way, and that there was nothing wrong with Firenze's decision.


	5. November 1991 - Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the meeting, Asher and Severus talk (and come to an understanding).

**_November 1991 - Part Two_ **

"Have you always been able to fly?" Severus asked between gulps of chilled night air. 

Asher brushed off his coat and smoothed his hair before answering. "Not when I was first brought across," he said. "It took some time before I gained the powers I now have." A frown flickered across his face but he leaned, as if comfortable, against one of the parapets of the Astronomy Tower. "Some powers come immediately but others... flying... gaining an animal to call... those take time." 

"An animal to call?" 

Severus listened as Asher explained the concept. He thought it was odd that vampires and magical creatures were so linked, when vampires began as humans and were transformed into something else, but he kept it to himself. 

Asher briefly mentioned the topics of human servants and triumvirates, but he flitted over them and went on to discuss other vampiric powers: feeding off of fear or lust, rotting and recomposing, day-walking...

"What is a human servant?" Severus asked. "Someone who simply does your bidding?" 

The vampire laughed for a second, before his face melted into something more sombre. " _Des fois, oui_ , but it is not the position of slave. It is a cherished position... it... it is a bond of importance to most." He frowned. "The human servant gains from the vampire---an immunity to poisons, strength, speed... and the vampire gains from the human servant---the taste of foods no longer eaten, sometimes a glimpse of new strengths or powers... and together, they share a mental and magical bond." 

"You wouldn't do it with someone you didn't care for then," Severus said unnecessarily. 

" _Non_ ," Asher replied. "I would not. Some have... but I have seen the bond drive them to madness. It is better to wait for someone to cherish." 

"Have you found another?" he asked. 

"I doubt I will ever replace Julianna," Asher said quietly. "Look at me, _mon ami_ , for I am not a vampire to be tied to for eternity." 

Severus spoke before he could censure his thoughts. "You're still handsome enough." 

He blushed. Asher arched an eyebrow. 

The wizard quickly recovered. "I mean... well, everyone has scars. Either internal or external... no one remains undamaged into adulthood." 

He silently cursed himself. In his twenties, he had been too caught up in the war to give into impulse or desire or to be a blundering, babbling idiot---but it would have been acceptable at that age! He was in his thirties, he reminded himself, and he should have a better grip on his impulses and desires! 

"When you do not try to censure yourself, your thoughts fly so quickly across your face," Asher commented quietly. 

Severus looked up and found the vampire was a lot closer than he had been previously. 

"Your virtue is safe," Asher purred teasingly. 

"I am not virtuous," Severus muttered. 

Asher chuckled and shrugged. " _D'accord_ ," he said as his shoulders stopped moving. He hesitated and looked up at the night sky. It was still inky black; they had plenty of time to talk. "We will be meeting again next month," he said quietly, "if Liam's contacts overseas have gathered enough information by then." 

Severus nodded, glad for the change of subject. 

"Do you know any wizards there?" he asked, referring to the continent on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. 

He shook his head. "The Dark Lord once alluded to spreading his influence into other countries... but then he went after the Potter boy, and he was rendered unable to continue his work." He frowned. "I have never traveled much." 

"I do not travel much, either, since vampires are incredibly territorial..." Asher shrugged again, the gesture saying nothing and much more than nothing, all at the same time. "I do not know why the centaur is so concerned about another continent. He does not think it is your former master, despite knowing his essence was in your forbidden forest, and I find that puzzling." 

"Firenze said the other power would originate in America... but if it does, it would not be the Dark Lord. I doubt his spectre would have crossed an ocean easily. He would have gone to ground and shadow if he was reduced to near-nothingness by _that_ boy." 

Asher tilted his head to the left, slightly. "What is it about this child that bothers you so much?" 

"He exists."

"You loved his mother, _oui_?"

Severus nodded. 

"And she chose someone else?" 

"It was not that simple. I hurt her. I... I was cruel. She chose someone who would not hurt her... someone who hurt me greatly." Severus turned his head quickly so that he was no longer looking into Asher's eyes; his body followed and soon it was his back that was facing the vampire as he walked towards the parapets. "Looking back, I know I confused different types of love and didn't understand my own preferences, but she was... very kind to me when I had no other source of kindness, and we cared very much for each other. He was vile to me. Perfect in all the ways girls loved, and he stole her away. I... I did not react well." He stopped talking and sighed. Asher waited silently. Severus scowled. "He looks like his father, except in the eyes. He has _her_ eyes."

"Rather unsettling, I suspect," Asher commented. 

"It is like both of them are sitting in my class! I cannot abide their judgements---"

"I suspect they would both be thankful you have been helping the people they care about," Asher interrupted. "That boy is only a child, with no memory of your previous actions. You are his teacher." 

"I do not want anything to do with his son," Severus muttered, thinking about James Potter yet again since the Boy-Who-Lived arrived at Hogwarts. 

"You did know he would eventually be coming here, though," Asher reminded him. 

"Yes, but... I thought... perhaps... I would be out from under the Headmaster's thumb by then... or else, dead." He sighed. "I never truly expected to survive the war."

"Such a grim outlook." 

Severus shrugged. "It is the truth." 

"It is the truth as you see it," Asher said, correcting him. "But, the reality of the situation could be different."

Before Severus could react, the vampire was directly behind him. Asher put his hands on the wizard's shoulders and gently squeezed. Severus's inhalation was shaky; his exhalation was louder than he expected it to be, torn between being a groan and a sigh. He silently cursed himself for relaxing his defenses so much around the other man. 

"What am I to you?" Asher inquired. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Do you trust me?" 

"More than I've allowed myself to trust anyone in a long time." 

"Yet," Asher whispered, "you are still very tense around me. It cannot all be proximity to the boy." 

"After all this time... the things we've gathered and done... I still expect..."

When he trailed off, the blond spoke again. "You expect it to be a hoax of some kind? An elaborate plot to bring a dark wizard to power?" 

Severus bit his tongue. When Asher gave voice to his fears, they sounded ridiculous. It had been roughly ten years of secret meetings with the same people. He knew them. He knew ten years was an awfully long time for such a hoax or plot. Few people had that kind of patience. He was letting his doubts overshadow his thoughts; he knew the truth, yet he could not push those shadows away. 

He turned his head a bit so he could see Asher in his peripheral vision---so he could try to figure out what the vampire was thinking. He hadn't been expecting to see a smile. 

"I have been lied to and mistreated," Asher said, his voice still a whisper, "and I know you have no way to know how deep my pain is. But, I do not want to hurt you in those ways." 

"Why did you pick me?" Severus asked. "Surely there must've been someone else." 

"Do you not see yourself as a worthy invitation to our group?" 

"I see myself as I am," he replied. "I am a pawn to others." 

"We do not choose pawns," Asher said. "There is not much happening at this time, but the world will not be peaceful for long. You know this as well as I do." Asher continued to speak; Severus was distracted so that he didn't completely notice the vampire pressing against him and drawing one arm across his chest and shoulders. "Who do you think put an end to the witch hunts and trials? Who do you think financed magical hospitals? These things are ours. We brought everyone to the table for the statute on secrecy in the late seventeenth century. No one knows it was us, pulling strings and turnings ears, but we were there. I advised the Vampire Council to attend... I gave them proof that we needed to be more careful of those who fear us. All the while, they believe I was doing their bidding by managing affairs and running their errands!"

"It isn't easy," Severus commented. "You've already remarked that you are tiring of your roles. I will be in impossible situations---how long do you suspect I will last?" 

Asher sighed. "You have time and you have allies. You are not alone." 

"I am unaccustomed to that idea." 

The vampire chuckled. "You will get used to it." He paused and then said, "I will promise you that one day you will be free of this war."

"Don't be foolish. You cannot promise such a---"

"I can and I have."

Severus snorted. "Well, forgive me if I do not---"

"I forgive you." 

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are a most irritating friend to have." 

Something in his chest loosened after he spoke. He kept his eyes closed as he pondered what he had said and his reaction to his words. He surmised it was his use of the word 'friend.' He did not have many friends since Lily Evans. At times, he considered Dumbledore to be a friend, but there was still a great divide between them that clearly marked them as employer and employee. Professor McGonagall could sometimes be considered a friend, too, but there was so much rivalry between them that he wasn't sure if they were anything more than protagonist and antagonist. But, Asher... Asher was someone he considered to be a real friend, even if they only saw each other for a few days each year. 

"Friends are meant to irritate... they are meant to comfort," Asher said. "I can do the latter now, if you invite me inside." 

"You don't need an invitation." 

"But, it is polite to ask for it." 

Severus smiled a bit. "And if I were to invite you in?" he asked. "Would we play Exploding Snap?" 

Asher chuckled at his question " _Non_ , I do not think so, _mon ami_. The last time we played that game, one of my favourite shirts was ruined." 

The wizard almost chuckled as he recalled that night they spent together after a meeting that was held a few months ago. 

"I thought, if you were willing, I could help you melt that tension away," the vampire suggested. 

The black-haired man tensed at the suggestion. Asher sighed and rested his head on Severus' shoulder. " _Non_ , not in that way," he whispered. "I would not suggest such contact, nor could I participate in it... in my state. But, my bite is something I can make very enjoyable and you would, I'm sure, appreciate such a... a... release." 

"I don't let people see me in such a state," Severus muttered. 

"I understand." 

"No, I don't think you do. I... I am curious about your powers, but I am unaccustomed to allowing others into my privacy." He hesitated before continuing to speak. "I am not soft... I do not seek affection." 

Asher's smile could be heard in his voice. "I will not tell another soul," he promised in another whisper. 

"Asher, I---" 

"Unless you are not inclined..."

Severus felt his face flush. His proclivities were never seriously examined; he didn't allow himself to entertain attraction to others. Sometimes, someone would skirt in under his radar but he was able to squash the feelings before they developed into anything more than fleeting. But, with Asher's chest pressed against his back and his head resting on Severus' shoulder, the wizard couldn't deny that it felt good to have a strong (male) body close to his. 

"I... I think I am so inclined," he whispered. 

" _Bon_." Asher's hand rubbed Severus' shoulder. "If you will have me tonight, and provide me a safe place to rest tomorrow... I could be persuaded to stay." 

"You always have a safe place in the dungeons as long as my chambers are there." 

The wizard inhaled slowly and deeply, summoning courage to continue that evening's pursuits and to seek out something _he_ wanted. 

"Shall we?" he asked. 

Asher nodded and released him. When they walked into the castle, leaving the highest tower, he stayed close; Severus wouldn't say it out loud, but he thought he was enjoying the vampire's proximity.


	6. November 1991 - Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus feeds Asher.

**_November 1991 - Part Three_ **

Severus used his wand to light the fire and the paraffin lamps in his chambers, while Asher took his coat and the wizard's cloak and tucked them into the wardrobe by the door. 

He stayed by the mantle, resting one hand against its smooth wooden surface as he looked into the flames roaring near his feet. However, he was aware of the vampire's presence. Asher toed out of his boots and adjusted his shirt; he walked further into the main room but he didn't come too close to Severus. 

The black-haired man forced himself to take a couple of calming breaths. He knew he didn't have anything to fear. He couldn't become a vampire from one bite---plenty of people fed them and he knew some even became regular meals---and he knew Asher wouldn't kill him, but he was still nervous. He hadn't allowed someone to touch him in a long time. He did not allow himself to have intimacies with others; even though he guessed they weren't about to bonk, it would still be an intimate moment that they were going to share. 

Once feeling a bit better, after another deep inhalation, he turned around and looked at his companion. 

"And why are you smiling?" Severus asked as he took in the vampire's appearance. 

Asher shrugged. 

"Asher." 

The vampire shrugged again. Severus wondered if it were all vampires or just the one standing in front of him that could make such a gesture seem so casual but so pointed at the same time. It seemed to mean everything and nothing. 

"I had a taste of your blood earlier, _mon ami_ ," the blond said. "I... I do not want to scare you off. But, I am looking forward to tasting more." 

Severus' brow furrowed. "Does it make a difference? Different people... I mean." 

Asher nodded. "Most of my kind choose lycanthropes or wizards as their _pommes de sang_ ," he replied. "Magic, in its many forms... makes for stronger, better meals." 

"Which is why Allessandra often makes unwanted advances." 

" _Exactement_ ," Asher said with another nod. He tilted his head and gestured towards Severus' leg. "Has it stopped?" 

"I... I haven't thought about it since the meeting," Severus confessed. 

Gingerly, he lifted his uninjured leg and tested the other by making it bear his full weight. It ached, but it was nowhere near as painful as it had been hours ago. When he lifted his trouser leg, he saw that the wound was nearly closed; it was still pink and angry, but the gaping teeth marks were no longer leaking blood. He sighed in relief. 

"Finally, it seems to be healing. Thank you, Asher." 

" _De rien_ ," the vampire replied. "I am glad I could help." 

"Would you mind if I make some tea, first?" Severus asked. 

Asher shook his head. " _Non, pas de tout_ ," he said. 

Severus nodded and went into the small kitchen area. Some of the staff chose to depend solely upon the house elves for sustenance, but Severus enjoyed some aspects of cooking. Tea-brewing, in particular, was one of his favourites. It reminded him of potions, except that the end result was something he could always enjoy. He liked mixing herbs and tea leaves to create savoury brews for a variety of reasons---to calm, to heal, to energise, and so on. 

He chose to mix Astragalus root with Oolong leaves and when he added boiling water, he also added a drop of honey. He brought his teacup and saucer to the armchairs in front of the fire and wasn't surprised to see Asher already sitting. 

"It smells good," the blond said. "What is in it?" 

"Astragalus root," Severus replied, "and Oolong. The roots have calming properties and are useful in healing draughts."

"And... a touch of honey for taste?" 

"Yes," Severus replied before sipping from it. He closed his eyes as he inhaled the aroma that wafted upwards in the steam; then, after savouring that moment, he lowered his lips to the rim of the cup and drew some of the hot tea into his mouth. "Hmm... yes. That is rather nice," he said on a sigh. 

"Will it relax you?" Asher asked. 

"Somewhat. I cannot sleep without some incentive---if it's worse, I will resort to a sleeping draught." 

" _Pourquoi_?"

"It is difficult to fall asleep," he said with a shrug. 

"What is on your mind that keeps you from sleep?" Asher asked. "Is it the boy's mother?" 

"My life doesn't revolve around her---or him!" Severus snapped. He realised, before looking at his friend, that he had overreacted. He sighed and motioned slightly with his free hand. "I apologise for that." 

Asher nodded. "You should not carry the burdens of the past any longer. At least, you should not carry them alone." 

"Which is why you do not share your past with me?" Severus asked. 

The vampire smirked. "I do not think that tea is working," he joked, sounding more amused than offended. "There is nothing to be done about my lot in life, _mon ami_ , but you can change things in yours that would greatly improve your well-being." 

Severus snorted. Asher chuckled. 

"How long will you be in England?" Severus asked. He decided a change of subject---away from murkier waters neither wanted to visit---would be best for them. "Just until tomorrow night?"

"Most likely. My mistress dispatched me to London to converse with the Master of the City there. I have negotiated already with him, but I do not need to be back at her side until next week." 

"Would you stay?" 

Asher arched an eyebrow---the one not hidden by hair. "You wish for me to stay in your chambers for several days? What will your headmaster have to say about that?" 

"He does not have to know." 

"Will I get to sit the detentions with your misbehaving children?" 

Severus smiled at that. "They already believe me to be a vampire," he commented. "Two would no doubt do them in." 

Asher chuckled. "Do they? I admit you do have a certain flair with your robes... an aura of a power with which they should not meddle... captivating eyes... but you do not have the fangs or the complexion." He smiled. "Do they see you eating? Surely they know a vampire cannot eat solid food." 

"Professor Quirrell is not teaching our students everything he should," Severus said, his amusement fading as he thought about the apparent ineptitude of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. "I have tried discussing this with the Headmaster but all he gives me in reply is a request to continue to watch him closely." 

The blond man nodded. "You suspect him of being in league with the planetary presence upon which Firenze has commented?" 

"I do not know," Severus admitted. "But, I do know he is very focused upon what is hiding in this castle." 

"The stone," Asher said, alluding to things discussed in their meetings. 

"It could bring the spectre back into being," the Potions Master said. "I do not want to see that happen." 

"Nor do I," Asher added. "I do not like the thought of such a mad man... or of you being forced back into his servitude."

"Are you soft on me?" Severus asked. 

He meant his tone to be teasing. He would never ask anyone to express their feelings towards him---unless of course it would be Potter, to whom he could give detention for being disrespectful. The wizard thought Asher would snort and say something wryly in response. Instead, the vampire tilted his head and regarded Severus carefully with his one visible eye. 

"I do not want to see you get into trouble," Asher said in a way that made the wizard think he was choosing his words very carefully. 

"I will do my best to avoid unnecessary trouble." 

" _Bon_." 

Asher rose to his feet and stretched---rather cat-like, Severus thought---while the other man sipped his cooling tea. Then, the blond reached out and offered his companion his hand. 

" _On y va_ ," he gently prompted. 

"Where will we be... doing this?" Severus asked. 

"I suggest your personal bathroom," Asher replied. "I am not a slob, but the odd spot can still stain sheets... the warm water of the bath will relax you, as well---"

"And give you a place to hide from me." 

"I am not territory for you to explore." 

Severus sighed. "I didn't mean it to sound that way," he said softly. "But, I... I dislike that you hide from me while proceeding to read me like an open book." He put his hand up to keep Asher from interrupting. "Furthermore, you are a help. I wish I could return the favour. That is all." 

Asher swept his hair off of his face and showed the wizard his scars. " _Mon ami_ , I do not have only physical scars..." he trailed off and sighed unnecessarily. "I would never want to subject you to that mess." 

"You can," Severus insisted, "if you ever want to."

" _Merci_." 

The black-haired man rose and led his guest into the bedroom. Asher went straight to the bathroom to fill the large tub. It was not like the tubs commonly found in the castle. Most of the wizards and witches in the school chose tubs with many faucets that dispensed varieties of soapy water, each with different scents. Even the prefects' bathroom used such a basin. Severus, however, preferred something more traditional. It was still large, but not the size of small swimming pool, and it only had a few taps that dispensed hot and cold water. 

Still, there were a few wizarding improvements upon the bath. 

He had the faucets charmed to fill the tub quickly. He also had several outcroppings charmed to vibrate or rotate, depending on the magical command. He had first found it useful, after occasional bouts of the Cruciatus curse, to let the hot water and massage lull him away from the cramps and twitches that followed the curse's application. Then, he become accustomed to the relaxing effect the charms had upon his body after long, hard days of teaching students who couldn't care less about the study of potions. 

While Asher took care of the bath itself, Severus went to his wardrobe and carefully put his robes upon a hanger once he had removed them. His boots went to a place by the bedside cabinet. He took off his trousers and then his high-collared shirt, before shyly kicking off his pants and socks. 

He found two terry cloth robes in a cupboard where the house elves left his towels. They were black and monogrammed with the Slytherin coat of arms. Severus didn't think the green and silver would suit the vampire; while he felt an impulse to transfigure one into something more suitable, he resisted because he didn't want the vampire to read anything into his gesture.

He put his wand on the cabinet next to the bed and then he shrugged into his robe. He tied its sash; he wasn't sure how he felt about exposing himself so blatantly to the other man. 

Severus didn't go into the bathroom until he heard the water being turned off and the other man slipping into the tub. He gave the vampire another few minutes and then he slowly walked to the doorway. 

Asher kept his back to the door. He was slowly sinking deeper into the warm water. He tipped his head back and submerged, so that the water seemed to swallow him. Severus had almost reached the point where he would go in and pull the vampire to the surface---even though he didn't need to breathe and could stay underwater as long as he wanted to do so---when he surfaced and looked over his left shoulder. 

"The angle will be best if you join me." 

Severus snorted. He told Asher he brought him a robe; he hung it on a nearby rack before glancing around nervously. Asher's back was still to him and he had turned his focus to the faucets in front of him; Severus wondered if the vampire was trying to give him some space without verbally offering it. He accepted it, nevertheless, and he slipped into the dark-enameled tub before Asher could turn around. 

Once he was in to his shoulders, he closed his eyes and sighed. It was the perfect temperature---hot, but not scalding, so his pale skin turned pink in places after a few minutes of soaking in the bath. 

"Would you mind if I wash my hair first?" Asher asked. "It has been a long night and---"

"The soaps are on the ledge by the faucets," Severus said in response, cutting the vampire off with what he thought was an open invitation. 

"That did not answer my question." 

Severus rolled his eyes even though Asher couldn't see the gesture. 

It didn't take long for Asher to wash. He accepted help from Severus when it came time to rinsing his golden curls; the wizard used a simple water charm to rinse the suds from his hair and it didn't take long until they were clean. He spent a few minutes cleaning his body, too, but when Severus moved to do the same, he prevented the black-haired man from acting. 

"It will feel better to wait until afterwards, _mon ami_ ," Asher insisted. He leaned back against the wall of the tub and Severus watched him sit on one of the ledges. "This is a rather extravagant tub," the vampire said. "You do seem to appreciate the finer things... I am glad of it." 

"My students would never believe it possible... of me, anyway." 

"Well, we both know differently, don't we?" 

Severus nodded curtly, the ends of his curtains of black hair dipping into the hot water when he caused his hair to swing. 

" _Viens ici_ ," Asher insisted with a beckoning hand. He inched to one side of the bench so there would be room for Severus to sit. 

After swallowing a lump that had somehow worked its way into his throat, he nodded again and followed Asher's direction. He sat down and awkwardly fidgeted. He put his hands in his lap, then moved them, and then put them on his knees. His shoulders, meanwhile, had crept up to his ears to give his back a rounded appearance. 

"Relax," Asher whispered. He put one hand on Severus' shoulder and gently squeezed the tense muscles he found there. Severus' breath came out in a hiss, but after Asher moved to his other shoulder, the wizard had relaxed significantly. "Where do you wish me to bite you?" Asher asked. 

"Wh-where do you want to bite me?" Severus asked. 

"I would be pleased with your neck or your wrist." 

"So original," Severus teased, before he grunted and closed his eyes. 

"I do not think you would be comfortable if I admit to wanting to bite you at a pulse point any lower than your waist, _mon ami_." 

"Good point," the wizard said in agreement. He opened one eye and looked at the vampire. "Do I need to get into your lap?" 

Asher chuckled. "Only if you wish to," he replied. "I do not think it will be necessary. If you do not mind me coming a bit closer, however, that would facilitate feeding." 

Severus told him he wouldn't mind. They adjusted their positions and as they did so, Asher let the wizard know what he should expect initially. As he spoke, his fingers traced over a few scars on Severus' back---echoes of his childhood and of his foray into Lord Voldemort's worship. 

"Who did this to you?" Asher asked, the lesson apparently over, as he found a jagged scar over Severus' right shoulder blade.

"My father," Severus replied in a very quiet voice, as if there were others nearby that could hear him. "I tried to get between him and my mum. He had a bottle in his hand... he hit me with it... instead of her, for once." 

Asher made a quiet noise of displeasure and then he leaned down, his wet hair brushing over Severus' skin, and pressed his lips to the rough line. Then, the vampire pressed his smooth cheek to the wizard's shoulder and rested there for a moment. 

"Comfortable?" Severus inquired. 

"Quite. Yes." 

"I did not realise I had become a pillow---"

"Oh, _tais toi_ ," Asher interjected on a quiet chuckle that took the sting out of his words. "Do stop thinking so much, Severus." 

"And, what? Enjoy the moment?" 

" _Oui_." 

Severus cleared his throat. "I am not used to having someone so close---"

"Which is why I am moving slowly," Asher whispered. 

"Oh." 

The vampire did not make any sudden movements. He did not snarl and pin Severus to the wall while draining him of his blood. Instead, he slowly massaged Severus' sides and arms while nuzzling his back and neck, before sucking on the skin over his pulse. Severus struggled to suppress a shiver---and failed---as he felt the other man's mouth working hard on that spot of pale flesh. He was relaxing back into Asher's body, giving himself up to his friend of many years without a second thought as his body tingled from Asher's ministrations. 

When Asher struck, piercing his fangs deep into Severus' artery, the wizard's cry was uncertain. He wasn't sure it hurt too much _in a bad way_ and then, when the vampire started to work his throat and mouth around the wound, a very delicious sensation was spreading through him that eradicated all concerns of pain. 

Severus had never felt anything like it before! It was pure pleasure, flowing along every nerve ending in his body! It was fiery hot and icy cold at the same time! He could feel himself hardening even though he was losing blood to the vampire's bite! 

Asher's hands slid around Severus' body. He didn't complain about the contact. He was already pressing his back against Asher's chest and scrabbling for something to grip as his body seemed to undulate on its own. Asher's hands pressed against his chest and stomach; he curved his fingers and his nails made delicious scratches against the soft skin there.

His climax was too long. The experience was surreal---it felt as if it would never end! 

When it did end, he knew he was whimpering and moaning. He had never experienced anything like Asher's bite; he had never been prepared for the sensations. The experience left him shaken---but not in a way that left him tense. He couldn't have moved if he wanted to. Every bone in his body---he was sure---had liquified.

He felt Asher's mouth leaving his neck but as his tongue unfurled to lap at the seeping blood, an aftershock of pleasure rocked him and sent him trembling into the circle of Asher's arms and body. 

The vampire crooned in French. He had pulled Severus into his lap and had held onto him until he decided to move. Severus didn't open his eyes; he hadn't been aware of being moved until he felt Asher begin to wash his body with soap and his hands. 

"I can---" Severus started, his voice coming out in a croak. 

" _Non_ , allow me," Asher insisted. "Think of it as a 'thank you' for such a savoury gift." 

Severus nodded. His head felt heavy. He rested it against the edge of the tub and decided to wait for his system to level off before moving from the water.


End file.
